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Neuroscience is the study of our nervous system: how we sense our environment, how
we move, how we think, make decisions, feel emotions, learn, form memories, and how
these processes go awry in neurological disease. We have entered a new era of neuroscience
research with the advent of ‘optogenetics’: a powerful yet exquisitely specific way
to stimulate and monitor neurons in the brain. This approach is expected to “revolutionize
our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure
brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and traumatic brain
injury” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/share/brain-initiative).

Students in the Biological Sciences Major can now specialize in Neuroscience, by declaring
and fulfilling the requirements for the Neuroscience Concentration. The Concentration
consists of four courses, representing a specified subset of electives within the Biological Sciences
Major:

The Neuroscience Concentration is fully compatible with the PreMed Concentration,
and you can do both simultaneously.

To declare a Neuroscience concentration (or any other concentration), visit your academic
advisor and ask to fill out a declaration of major form to add the concentration to
your BS BIOL major.

Neuroscience is a fascinating and exciting discipline poised to have a major impact
on medicine, psychology, and behavioral science in the near future. The Neuroscience
Concentration in the Biological Sciences Major will give you an in-depth background,
and provide opportunities for you to become involved in this amazing science.